Stop motion mounting for knitting machines



May 12, 1964 M. ANToNEvlcH 3,132,495

STOP MOTION MOUNTING FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. l2, 1962 FIGS.

NVENTORE MlcHAEL AN'ToNEvIcH m 4/ig l 4 ATTYS,

May l2, 1964 STOP Filed Jan. l2, 1962 F'IG4,

M. ANTONEVICH MOTION MOUNTING F'OR KNITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MICHAEL ANTONEVICH SM1/WW A ATTYS.

United States Patent O 3,132,4i15 STO? MTIUN MGUN'HNG FOR KNlTTINtG MACHHNES Michael Antonevich, New Brunswick, NJ., assigner to The Crawford Manufacturing Company, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ., a corporation of New .lersey Filed lan. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 165,743 7 (laims. (El. 645-163) This invention relates to a stop motion mounting tor knitting machines, especially to a mounting tor Ia stop motion device which can quickly be clamped in a selected position or removed as a unit from fthe machine, the unit when clamped in place establishing a strong mechanical connection with its support land :also a dependable electrical connection.

Some clamp connections for stop motion devices have been proposed but so tar as known they involve the use of a bare conductor located on the top of an anchor support member and as a consequence the bare conductor is soon covered with lint 4and adherent refuse to such an extent that it must be cleaned each time a new connection is made with it.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to providea stop motion mounting in which the bare conductor is located in a position where fouling will not readily occur.

Another object is to provide a stop motion mounting which comprises improved attaching means which lirmly secures the stop motion device to its anchorage support and at the same time establishes a good electrical connection.

Another object is to provide an improved conductor strip which can be made by circuit printing methods, if desired.

Another object is to provide clamping means for a stop motion device 'which can be quickly released by manipulation of only one hand part and without the necessity for shitting the position of loose or swinging members into engaging position before they can be clamped.

The above and other objects ot the invention 'as well as various features of novelty and advantages will be apparent from the following description of 'an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a top plan and side elevation isometric view of a portion of a stop motion head ring of a circula-r knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical Aradi-al section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged vertical radial section taken on the line 3 3 oi FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical radial section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric elevation of a clamping member.

Stop motion head rings for circular knitting machines are well known in the art, tor example see 2,387,100 Wachsrnafn, so it is sulcie-nt herein to show a portion of such a stop motion head ring having radial arms 11 and :arcuate anchor or support bars or rails 12 secured at Iradially spaced intervals to the radial arms. Specifically the rails 12 are secu-red to the arms 11 by angular brackets 13 which are attached beneath the channel shaped arms 11 by screws /14 and which are attached to the rails 12 by screws 15. This leaves the rails clear for hold-ing brackets throughout their entire length, even under the arms y11. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rail 12 is generally T-shaped with the short stem disposed horizontally .and secured yat its end to the brackets 113 and with the rectangular head disposed vertically and standing in the clear at the trout side :and lat both ends for movement therealong or slidable stop motion suplCe port brackets and clamping means therefor as will be disclosed.

Each rail sector is placed in a separate circuit by having a radially extending insulated wire conductor 16 connected at one end to `an outwardly-bare inwardly-insulated contact conductor strip 17. The connection between the conductor 16 and the strip 17 is established by a bolt 118 insulated from the rail 12, as by a headed insulating sleeve 19.

The contact strip 17 may be a foil or deposit placed on an insulating strip 20 by known circuit printing metl1- ods or it may be a heavier metal strip which is secured to the insulating strip 20 by Iadhesive or other convenient means. The insulating strip itself may be secured on the side of the rail 12 by adhesive or other convenient means.

Ground connections into the machine frame torm the other side of the electrical circuit in known manner.

The removable mounting device for the stop motion device comprises a bracket 25, prefer-ably termed by bending up la pre-formed plat having a vertical channel shaped body 26, lateral inwardly extending hook-shaped 'arms 27, 'and a lateral outwardly extending arm 23 on which the .stop motion device 29 is secured, as by screws 30.

The stop motion device itself is so well known that no description of it is needed except to note that when a thread or yarn T fails to move properly it will cause the operation of a switch to latleet the operation of the machine.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the rail 12 -is generally T shaped in section with the head of the T-section disposed rvertically and the thick stem disposed horizontally. The Iarms 27 of the mounting bracket 2S are provided with hook notches 27a which ride |on the rib-like portion provided on the rail. The side llanges of the body portion 26 of the bracket 25 are cut out, as at 26a to ireely span the contact strip .17.

A clamp plate 32 has a narrow bottom tip 32a disposed in a hole 33 in the web of the portion 26 and a bent end 32h arranged to clamp against the lower riblike portion provided on the rail. lIhe shank :of a clamp screw 34 is threaded in the clamp plate 32 Iand passes lloosely through la hole 3S in the portion 26 of the bracket 25. The bevelled or spherical end of an enlarged shoulder 34a engages the outer side of the portion 26 to eliect the clamping :action on the clamp plate 32. A hand knob 3411 is provided `for operating the clamp screw. A spring 36 urges the clamp plate 732 away trom the portion 26 of the bracket 25. A leaf spring 37 secured by a screw 38 to the portion 26 holds the lower end of the clamp plate in place 'against the portion 26.

Means are provided for establishing electrical connection from the contact strip 17 to the switch of the stop motion device 29 whenever the mounting bracket 25 is clamped to the rail 12. lAs herein shown a spring electrode Contact plate 40 is secured on the vertical portion 26 of the mounting bracket 25 in position for its upper end to press against the contact strip 17. The securement of the spring contact plate lll to the portion 26 is made by a bolt 41 having a headed insulating sleeve 42 and an insulating washer 43. The nuts of the bolt 41 secure the bare end of an insulated conductor 44 which extends to the switch of the stop motion device where its other bare end is secured by an attaching clip 45.

If it is desired that the mounting bracket be attachable at all points around the rail, the heads of the conductor connector bolts 18 can be countersunk to clear the space for the spring Contact plate 40. This would only alect sliding motion of the mounting bracket along the rails, which is usually not necessary; if the plate 40 is pushed in laterally it will work as well on the bolt heads as else- Where, provided they are not excessively high. The heads, of course, will clear the cut-outs 26a of the bracket.

While the contact conductor strip 17 and its insulating support strip 20 are shown as being located on the side of the rail, it contemplated that they can be located elsewlhere so long as they are not llocated on top where the bracket hooks hang and where they would be fouled by settling material.A Since the clamp plate has a downward pull component as well as a rearward pull component, a spring contact element would be held against a Contact conductor strip located on the bottom of the rail as rwell `as when the strip is located on the side of the rail.

It is thus seen that the invention provides an improved clamp-on mounting which can be quickly attached or removed and which is not readily fouled by oating material.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes :of illustration it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the linvention.

I claim:

1. A stop moti-on mounting for knitting machines, comprising in combination, a rail having a contact .conductor strip secured to 4a side thereof :other than the top, mounting support means for said rail connected to the rear side thereof, leaving the top, `front and bottom clear lfor the full llength of the rai-l, a mounting bracket having book support mounted on the top 4ot said rail for sliding movement for the full length tof the rail, la resilient contact plate carried by said bracket engaging said contact conductor strip, a clamp member .carried by said bracket engaging the llower pant and rear side of the rail and the lower part of the bracket, and clamp means therefor, to clamp the bracket thereon at any selected location, `and a stop motion device mounted on said bracket.

2. A stop motion mounting as set forth in claim `1, wherein said clamp member comprises a tip bottom projection disposed in a hole in the bracket and a top element engaging the rail, a keeper element holding the tip projection in place in said hole, Iand said ciarnp means including a clamp screw arranged between the clamp and bracket for tightening the clamp on said rail.

3. A stop motion mounting as set lforth in claim 2, which further includes a spring cn said clamp screw disposed between the clamp member and bracket for urging them apart.

4. A stop motion mounting as set 'forth in claim `1, wherein the lrail is supported by its mounting support means from arms thereabove and at a distance thereabove suicient to keep said bracket clear `ef the arms whereby the bracket can be secured at any point along the rail.

5. A stop motion mounting for knitting machines having an arm supported rail, comprising in combination, a T-shaped rail having its stem disposed horizontally and secured at the end to anchorage means carried below horizontal supporting arms, the head :of the rail being rectangular and disposed lvertical'ly at a distance below the supporting arms, leaving the front vertical side and ends of the head clear, an insulated longitudinal conductor plate secured to the vfront side of said rail, and a stop motion supporting bracket slidably supported `on the upper end of the head Iof the rail, said bracket having la rectangular supporting hook slidably mounted `on the top of the rail, the bracket having a front part spaced away lfrom the rail in front of said conductor plate and having a resilient contact member slidably engaging said conductor plate, the bracket also carrying below said contact member clamping means engageable with the lower end of the head cf the rail .to clamp the bracket in various adjusted positions along the rai-l, said clamping means being formed and Iarranged to pull said bracket downward and move its lower end inward to hold said contact member against said conductor plate.

6. A stop motion mounting `as set -forth in claim 5, wherein said clamping means includes a clamping member pivoted at its lower end on the back side of said bracket and having its upper end disposed against the rear corner rof the lower end tof the head of the rail, and a clamping device lfor said clamping member between its ends and `acting against said bracket.

7. A stop motion mounting las set forth in claim 6, wherein the pivot connection of the clamping member includes a projection tting in a hole and a resilient element holding the lower end yof the clamping member toward said bracket, and wherein said clamping dev-ice comprises an element arranged to draw said clamping member toward said bracket, and a resilient member disposed between said clamping member and said bracket urging them apart.

Rei'erences tited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 501,052 Brown July 11, 1893 589,424 Evans Sept. 7, 1897 874,847 Hulse Dec. 24, 1907 2,080,261 Funk May 11, 1937 2,310,024 Frank et al. Feb. 2, 1943 2,324,442 Waehsrnan July 13, 1943 2,432,953 Vossen Dec. 16, 1947 2,972,007 Zoeller Feb. 14, 1961 3,001,389 Vossen Sept. 26, 1961 

1. A STOP MOTION MOUNTING FOR KNITTING MACHINES, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A RAIL HAVING A CONTACT CONDUCTOR STRIP SECURED TO A SIDE THEREOF OTHER THAN THE TOP, MOUNTING SUPPORT MEANS FOR SAID RAIL CONNECTED TO THE REAR SIDE THEREOF, LEAVING THE TOP, FRONT AND BOTTOM CLEAR FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RAIL, A MOUNTING BRACKET HAVING HOOK SUPPORT MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF SAID RAIL FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RAIL, A RESILIENT CONTACT PLATE CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET ENGAGING SAID CONTACT CONDUCTOR STRIP, A CLAMP MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET ENGAGING THE LOWER PART AND REAR SIDE OF THE RAIL AND THE LOWER PART OF THE BRACKET, AND CLAMP MEANS THEREFOR, TO CLAMP THE BRACKET THEREON AT ANY SELECTED LOCATION, AND A STOP MOTION DEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET. 